Hi All,

This week, Thursday, we will be going to the Santa Cruz County Fair! Thank you in advance to all the parents who have volunteered to drive and chaperon, and have worked so hard to turn in all the forms, including visits to the school for fingerprinting.  I am counting on all chaperons to attend the field trip, but our free adult passes will be limited.  Some chaperons will need to pay, and drivers will need to pay for parking.  All kids are free.  Children must bring a sack lunch on Thursday, along with a light sweater or jacket, and be in comfortable shoes.  They may not bring money and will not be allowed to purchase any items. 

In Language Arts, we will continue reading Charlotte's Web ( a great tie-in with the fair), and will also read a short article about spiders.  The kids will work on summarizing the article.  We will also begin a study on writing personal narratives.

In math, we will wrap up our chapter on place value, with a test on Tuesday.  Monday's homework will be a review of the concepts addressed.  We will then continue to learn about whole numbers, focusing on rounding and ordering them.

On Friday, the kids did a great job reciting their poems.  They presented "Thirty Days" in small groups, and then had the option of presenting their second poem as a solo, or in a small group.  Most chose to solo, and were able to speak clearly and at a good pace, standing up straight.  We will continue to weave in public speaking opportunities throughout the year.  This week's Homework Packet will follow the more typical format of 20 spelling words and 5 sentences, a Practice Book page (front and back), Reading Log, and math drill.  On Friday, they will be tested on both the words and sentences on their spelling list.  Continue to encourage your child to pace their homework and plan their week accordingly.  I speak to them regularly about the responsibility of homework, and about planning ahead if they know they have a particularly busy day of the week.

Take care, and feel free to call or email with any questions,
Carroll Mayer